New Brighton receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
South St. Paul
New Brighton
Opportunity
48 · Bottom 32%
vs48 · Bottom 32%
Growth
17 · Bottom 5%
vs28 · Bottom 15%
Climate
55 · Bottom 5%
vs54 · Bottom 3%
Physical resilience
88 · Top 14%
vs93 · Top 8%
Housing affordability
98 · Top 13%
vs85 · Top 42%
Access
97 · Top 29%
vs95 · Top 36%
Economic stability
77 · Top 14%
vs73 · Top 22%
Measured values
| Metric | South St. Paul | New Brighton | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 20,611 | 22,710 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $87,994 | $88,521 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $40,011 | $46,184 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 3,664/sq mi | 3,497/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $281,600 | $364,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,199 | $1,397 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 69.7% | 61.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.5% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -1.9% | -2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.5% | 48.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.3% | 8.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 3 | 18 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 0.1 | 0.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 83°F | 83°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 9°F | 7°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 29.2" | 30.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 9 mi | 13 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 21.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.2 | 37.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
South St. Paul
Elevated or high exposure: strong wind, hail.
New Brighton
Elevated or high exposure: hail.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
South St. Paul
62
Your Score
58
Area Score
New Brighton
68
Your Score
64
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: South St. Paul, MN · New Brighton, MN · How this is calculated: methodology